The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are particularly excellent for runners, especially long-distance and trail runners. While it won’t quite last the full length of time needed for an Ultra marathon (what can?), they are among the best running headphones out there.
Like the best open earbuds, they allow you to hear your surroundings in a way that even the best wireless earbuds with good ambient / transparency modes can’t. They also are extremely lightweight, stable, and have a nice long battery life. Shokz has also added in air conduction tech to improve the sound quality, as bone conduction headphones typically lag in this area compared to more traditional options.
It’s no surprise, considering how bone conduction headphones work. At louder volumes, these types of headphones tend to create a vibrating sensation that can be unpleasant, even nauseating depending on one’s sensitivity. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 doesn’t create this sensation for the most part, with one exception that I’ll mention later.
headset, charging case, regular case, and accessories (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Before we get to that, we should take a look at the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2’s design. They fit the general mold of bone conduction headphones; there’s the portion containing the drivers that sit in front of the ear connected to the electronics via an over-the-ear loop. Both sides are connected by a wrap-around headband, while the whole thing is covered in silicon to provide some waterproofing. In this case, it’s IP55, surprisingly worse than the lower-tier Shokz OpenRun with their IP67 rating.
Where these headphones differ a little from the competition is the fact that, besides providing four colorways (black, silver, orange, and a Kipchoge-signature white and orange silver-and-orange), you can choose between ‘standard’ and ‘mini’ size headbands, whereas most bone conduction headphones come with a one-size-fits-all one.
This is a nice inclusion. In fact, I might have benefited from the smaller headband, as I could feel the headband move a little if I shook my head. Still, the fit was stable and neither the drivers or section that goes over or behind the ears moved at all. On top of that, it’s very lightweight at just around 30 grams, so you’ll barely feel them – unlike many in-ear buds that start to hurt after being stuck in the ear canals for a while.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
As far as controls go, I was a bit confused at first since two of them, used for power, pairing, and volume controls, sit under the right side behind the ear, while a third button sits on the driver section on the left side used for changing songs. It’s not a big deal (other than highlighting my mistake of not reading the manual right away), but I’m used to having all the controls on one side. Thankfully, they’re fairly responsive to the touch.
There’s one USB-C port on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, which might be why the IP rating is a little lower than expected here, even if it does have a silicon covering. On the brightside, using this port allows for faster charging compared to the old magnetic one, as five minutes plugged in will produce two and a half hours of battery life. Of course, it will take a full hour to charge up to 100% or twelve hours of use.
It’s also worth mentioning that the only form of connectivity here is its speedy Bluetooth 5.3. There’s no onboard storage or MP3 player: if that’s a consideration for you, you’ll want to check out our best waterproof headphones guide, many of which come with MP3 storage.
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The feature set on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are a bit limited compared to wireless earbuds. Since these headphones are an open-ear design, there’s no active (or passive) noise cancellation. Any kind of fine-tuning involves mainly playing around with the equalization (EQ), which is available in the app, though you can press and hold the volume up and down buttons simultaneously during play to cycle through the various EQ options.
As far as the different EQ options go, there are six modes already on hand, along with a five-band EQ for a more personalized touch, which you can save as a new EQ mode. Of the ones already available, there’s a standard, vocal, bass boost, treble boost, classic, and volume boost.
The classic mode turns off the air conduction for a purer bone conduction experience, which also reintroduces that vibrating sensation when the volume is too high, something that I (and many) find uncomfortable. Luckily, it’s the only setting where I really experienced that phenomenon.
Multipoint connectivity is also available, though you have to turn it on in the app. While not a dealbreaker, be aware of the fact that there’s no on-ear detection, so music will continue to play when you take the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 off.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The improvements in the newest generation of bone conduction headphones have been really heartening, namely that the audio quality is better than before and that I don’t experience those disconcerting vibrations at higher volumes (see my review of the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport for a similarly improved audio experience).
The audio quality has improved for two reasons. The first is the fact that the OpenRun Pro 2 uses the company’s 10th generation bone conduction technology. The second, and arguably more important, is that these headphones also use air conduction. In essence, these are hybrid headphones as opposed to just bone conduction headphones.
After having listened to all sorts of genres from Indie and Metal to Hip Hop and Folk, I can say that they’re allare enjoyable to listen to. The high-end is fairly present with plenty of clarity, though everything does feel just a tiny bit muted as if the headphones’ natural frequency range rolls off a bit with higher frequencies. The mids are full, almost a little too much, so that any audio I listen to has plenty of body. The bass is a bit pulled back, so bottom-heavy music won’t hit as hard.
Because the highs and lows are not as prominent as the mids, there is a very slight boxy quality to music. They sound very good for the form factor, but aren’t going to replace anyone’s earbuds as go-to listening devices outside of a run or the gym.
Since these are open earbuds, there is some leakage. However, it’s not all that noticeable unless you’re using them in a quiet setting. If you use them on the trail, other presumably headphone-less runners might catch a little bit of what you’re listening to, but only if they’re very close to you.
Lastly, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 can used to take and make calls. The call quality is pretty good with plenty of clarity, though the speaker’s voice will sound a little far away compared to speaking on a phone regularly.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Specifications
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Price and availability
How much does it cost? $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
You can spend quite a bit less than the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2’s asking price of $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00 for a pair of bone conduction headphones. Shokz’ own more entry-priced OpenRun go for $129.95 / £129.95 / AU$219.00, for instance. And, of course, there are plenty of much cheaper, lesser-known options littering Amazon.
And there aren’t many options out there that go for more, either. Some of the ones that do are a bit more specialized, such as the watersports-friendly H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport, which go for $199.99 / £155.68 (about AU$310) and include 8GB of storage, an MP3 player, and a special feature to record playlists onto it, so you don’t need your phone.
Still, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are worth the price in my mind for the simple reason that they mix in air conduction tech with bone conduction for a better audio experience as well as to minimize the vibrating sensation that typically accompanies the use of bone conduction headphones.
As a value proposition, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 may not be an outstanding deal, but they’re worth the price.
Value score: 4 / 5
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Scorecard
Should I buy the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2?
Buy it if...
You care about audio quality
Getting good sound out of a bone conduction headset is not easy, yet Shokz has managed to do just that thanks to the inclusion of air conduction.View Deal
You’re a runner
The fit is stable and lightweight and the battery life is more than enough for anyone except Ultra marathon runners. It also has an IP55 rating to handle the elements.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You want to take it in the water
Not all bone conduction headphones are good for swimming, such as this one. Shokz does have swimming-specific models to check out if you want something that’s more fully waterproof.View Deal
You’re limited on funds
These headphones are on the pricy side for bone conduction headphones. If you’re on a budget, you’re better off considering the slightly inferior non-Pro version.View Deal
Also consider
Shokz OpenRun
The Shokz OpenRun are fantastic for running, and are only slightly behind the OpenRun Pro 2 due to the fact that they employ a slightly older generation driver and don’t include air conduction so you’re still getting some vibration at higher volumes. Still, they sound good, are lightweight, and cost quite a bit less than their more expensive big brother.
The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport is not cheap, but it’s worth it, especially for anyone also looking for headphones to use during swimming. After all, these are tailored to triathletes. They have a strong battery life, complete waterproofing, and onboard storage as well as a special Playlist+ feature that untethers you from your phone during a run or swim.
I spent a couple weeks using the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 as my workout headphones. While using them, I listened to all sorts of genres from electronic and hip-hop to rock and acoustic music to get an idea of how they sound. I also tested the various features, most notably the EQ settings.
After testing, it’s clear that these are, per their namesake, flagship headphones for runners. They’re ideal because of the open-ear design from the bone and air conduction, they’re very lightweight, and have good battery life. Plus, they sound pretty good. Check out our guide to how bone conduction headphones work for more details on how headphones like these operate.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and have spent even longer using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what does and doesn’t sound good.
CES 2025 has been packed full of innovation, announcements and of course, talk of the town AI has taken center stage for the most part. In comes the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2025), a step up on the company’s flagship dual screen laptop which now features Intel AI Boost.
The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) is pretty revolutionary device, allowing those who are on the go or don’t want to commit to a full desktop setup to still take advantage of multiple screens. You also get the flexibility to use the device as a normal laptop when two screens might be a bit overkill.
Thanks to Intel AI Boost, delivered by up the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, you get amazing efficiency for AI driven tasks. Pair this with some pretty hefty specifications all packed into a lightweight, slimline design, and you’ve got a powerhouse of a machine which you can easily stick in a backpack and use anywhere.
Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
With a starting price of $1,699.99 (UK and AUS pricing yet to be confirmed), the Asus Zenbook Duo isn’t the most expensive piece of kit on the market, but is by no means a budget option either.
Of course, you’re paying a premium for the dual screen option which in turn could save you money down the line as you won’t have to invest in a second monitor.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo will be available for purchase from February 10, 2025.
Design
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
On first inspection, the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) resembles a normal laptop, but lift the wireless keyboard and underneath is a second screen, which is only activated when the keyboard is removed so you don’t have to worry about power draw.
As well as standard laptop mode, the Asus Zenbook Duo allows you to utilize dual screen mode - as you’d expect - as well as other options like desktop mode and even screen sharing. While it might sound intimidating at first, swapping between different modes is easy and seamless, allowing you to go from laptop mode to dual screen mode within seconds thanks to the built-in kickstand.
You get stunning dual 3K, 120Hz OLED panels which look absolutely breath taking. Visuals are gorgeous on this device, with amazing breadth of color and all the other advantages of OLED screens.
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(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
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(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
Both displays are also touch screen and support the Asus Pen 2.0, meaning you could easily use one as a drawing tablet for photo editing or graphic design. Better yet, the Asus Pen 2.0 is included, meaning you don’t have to go out and spend extra cash to utilize the feature.
Weighing in a 2.98 lbs (1.35kg) and just 14.6mm thick, the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) is heavier than some other lightweight options out there, but is by no means going to put a strain on your back when carried around. These measurements don’t include the keyboard; however it’s essentially paper thin and weighs next to nothing, and the device is still super compact with it thrown in.
On the keyboard, when separate from the device itself, it does feel somewhat flimsy but this isn’t the end of the world.
Despite its slimline design, you still get a whole load of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB type A port, an audio jack and a HDMI 2.1 out.
Specifications
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
With a 75Wh battery life, you’ll supposedly get 8 hours of usage even when using both screens, which is by no means revolutionary but is made even better thanks to fast charging capabilities (allowing you to charge up to 60% charge in less than 50 mins).
Of course, one of the major benefits of the Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 edition is the (up to) Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor which utilizes Intel AI Boost. You get a range of AI ready features, as well as a dedicated NPU and graphics making tasks easier with AI enhancement. You get all the benefits of Copilot+ to help save time with day-to-day tasks.
All-in-all, the Asus Zenbook Duo is a stunning and versatile piece of kit. The flexibility the dual screen provides is fantastic and it’s simple to use and set up, allowing you to take advantage of two screens no matter where you are. The screens look stunning and are sure to catch eyes if you’re ever using this laptop on the go.
A downside is the battery life not being as powerful as some other laptops on the market, but its by no means disappointing, easily carrying you through a full workday with two displays in use. The keyboard is also a bit flimsy due to how thin it is but could easily be something I’m able to get used to.
The Doogee S200 is a heavyweight rugged phone - and I mean heavyweight. I weighed this beast at 369g, and it feels it in the hand. Bold, chunky, and the absolute opposite of unassuming as a phone can be. But then, that’s what you want from a ruggedized phone. You want it to feel like it can take a battering, survive a long drop.
On that score, the S200 certainly looks and feels the part. How does it measure up in terms of robustness and durability against the best rugged phones my team and I regularly review? I put it to the test.
Doogee S200: Price & availability
How much does it cost? $412 / £326
When is it out? Available now
Where can you get it? Doogee, Amazon
The Doogee S200 is widely available from the official site (click here) and Amazon. On the official Doogee site, it retails for $412 / £326, which puts it at the upper-end of the mid-range compared to rivals.
Value: 4 / 5
Doogee S200: Specifications
Doogee S200: Design
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There’s something delightfully futuristic about the design of the Doogee S200, with its hard lines and poker-straight cutaway edges. Like it’s been built by robots. Specifically, those created by Skynet.
The front screen is protected by the ubiquitous Corning Gorilla Glass - not the hardiest of all screens, but acceptable at this price. A 20MP front camera is centrally placed at the top of the display. Where the buttons and ports rest along the side, we have screwed-in alloy strips to offer extra protection to these moving (or rather, moveable) parts and resist bending under pressure. I quite like the feel of these buttons - they’re almost flush against the phone, thick in appearance, but with a soft, springy feel when depressed - so you know your press has been registered, even without looking. Better still, on the left side, beneath the dual SIM card port is a custom button, which can be personalized for three selected quick actions for one click, double-click, and long press. At the bottom, you’ll find the charging port, suitably covered with a rubber gasket to guard against dust and leaks.
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Flip over the phone and the rear is equally aggressive in design. with the speaker and microphone shielded by aerospace-grade alloy casing cut with what look like exhaust ports of the sort you might find on a mobile workstation or gaming PC. Dominating this space is the 1.32in circular AMOLED screen. And it’s one of the best features of the phone. Bright and vivid, this display can be used as a clock-face, act as a compass, and more. Flanking this screen are three cameras and an infra-red flash lamp.
So, we know the S200 feels heavy in the hand, and with dimensions of 179.5 x 82.5 x 16mm (7.07 x 3.25 x 0.63in), you’re going to need large hands to fully wrap around the device. I have considerably average-sized hands, and found the most comfortable holding position was to have the phone laying flat against my fingers, with the tips peeking around the side. This isn’t the most secure hold, of course, but otherwise operating the S200 worked well in this position.
In terms of protection, the Doogee S200 is rated for IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD 810. This is pretty standard for most of the rugged phones we’ve tested here, making it dust-proof, waterproof, and drop-proof.
Design: 4 / 5
Doogee S200: Performance
(Image credit: Doogee)
Running on Android 14, I found performance to be excellent. I’m always a bit wary of rugged phones, which can sometimes focus more on the hardware than the software. It’s all very well being able to hurl the phone at a brick wall or see it run over by a steamroller, but if operation is sluggish, it’s enough to make you want to cut it up with a chainsaw.
Thankfully, those issues aren’t apparent in the Doogee S200. Performance is smooth, apps open quickly, and I experienced no problems in everyday operation. But then, I expected good results here, since the phone is specced with a Mediatek Dimensity 7050 processor and 32GB RAM (my review unit came with the maximum 32GB, although 12GB RAM is the base amount - still more than enough to power most apps and general use).
The 6.72in screen here is also very nice to use. Boasting a 1080x2400 resolution and 1400:1 contrast ratio that is excellent in dark environments and outdoors in direct sunlight. It even features a 120Hz refresh rate, making it suitable for on-the-go gaming. There’s also a Game Mode, which sounds good, but does little beyond keeping your games in a library and turning off notifications.
(Image credit: Activision)
In any case, I downloaded a handful of games to see if the phone could keep up when reaction time is a factor. Call of Duty Mobile played flawlessly here, as did Mario Kart Tour. These more or less mirrored tests on a Google Pixel 5. However, during Need for Speed: No Limits there were occasional frame-rate drops and lagging when the screen became busy or animations were too fast. Still, the high refresh rate is a nice extra where available to have, and much higher than you’ll find on most traditional phones. Just set realistic expectations here - you do not have a rugged Steam Deck in your hands.
Finally, the S200 sports a 10100 mAh battery. Not the biggest battery I’ve seen in a phone like this, and I would’ve liked to see wireless charging to round-out the package. But it’s good for general use, especially when combined with the 33W fast-charging.
Performance: 4 / 5
Doogee S200: In use
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As a rugged phone, the Doogee S200 performs exactly as you’d expect. I’ve hurled it down stairs and out of first-floor windows and drowned it in the bath, and it’s still chugging along. It’s rated to a 1.8m drop, which isn’t particularly high but offers some protection should it slip from a gloved hand. I tested out a drop at this height, and the phone survived as expected. I chanced my arm, tossing it higher, the phone falling further. There were no visible signs of wear, but I probably wouldn’t want to do this too often. The Doogee S200 feels rugged only up to a point. A rowdy brawler, but not a tank.
As a smartphone, it performs well and without issue. Connectivity, which includes Wi-Fi 6 and NFC, is also welcome. Out of the box, the phone is loaded with a range of apps and extras designed for on-site work. This includes Glove Mode, located in Settings, and the Toolbag App. It's here where you can access a range of essential worksite tools, such as compass, ruler, and digital spirit level. I particularly like this, as it means the phone is ready for the jobsite straight away, no messing about.
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I quite enjoyed the addition of the rear circular subscreen. Though not a game-changer by any means, I appreciated the ability to glance at the clock regardless of which way I was holding the S200. Alongside the time, it felt very smooth swiping through the other options on the subscreen, such as music player controls and calendar. Disappointingly, as far as I could tell, there’s no way to customize which apps are displayed here. Through the MiniScreen Subscreen Settings, you’re free to set a range of clock faces - I went for analogue in this sea of digital - or make your own. It’s basic, but fun. You can also change how to wake the miniscreen.
I found the 100MP camera is nice - not the highest megapixel camera around, but distinctly higher than many devices we’ve tested from rivals like Oukitel, where 64MP is more common. Elsewhere, the night vision camera proved exceptional and, for many workers, I can see this becoming a go-to mid-range rugged phone for this feature alone. Gaming and media playback was good, with colors crisp and vivid on the fair-sized screen. However, I did find the speakers only adequate - these are the typical tinny phone speakers, the smartphone standard, with very little bass. Overall, in use, the Doogee S200 delivered exactly the sort of experience I’d expect from a phone of this price and in this category.
In use: 4 / 5
Doogee S200: Final verdict
The Doogee S200 is, very literally, a solid smartphone, built for rugged use. True, the specs aren’t the toughest and hardiest out there - and for genuinely hostile environments, I’d think twice about taking it on the job. However, for general use on worksites, or hiking and camping, the S200 is more than robust enough. Yes, it’s big and heavy - that’s part of its charm, alongside the cyber-futuristic mecha-style design, its sliced corners and exposed rivets on the side. If you want a phone that’s durable, built to go up against the elements, and still looks great doing it, there’s a lot to recommend here.
Should you buy a Doogee S200?
Buy it if...
You want a rugged phone with plenty of features If you want a big, chunky, robust smartphone with good performance and 5G, the Doogee S200 ticks plenty of boxes.
You want a built-in compass and night vision This phone boasts a night vision camera and compass amongst a host of tools and features that’ll be welcome on any jobsite.
Don't buy it if...
You don’t need a durable phone However nice it is, there’s no good reason to pick up this phone unless you need a ruggedized device that’ll take a few knocks.
You want a lightweight device The Doogee S200 is unashamedly big and heavy, whichever way you measure it. Not one for slipping away in a tight pocket or handbag.
Announced at a press conference at CES2025, the new Technics EAH-AZ100 are the company’s latest and (on paper, at least) and most thorough attempt to make meaningful waves in the stacked markets that are the best earbuds and best noise-cancelling earbuds.
There’s no denying the lengths to which the company has gone. From the extremely thorough specification (covering everything from multipoint connectivity and adaptive noise-cancellation to Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with LDAC compatibility) to design (smaller, lighter and yet somehow no less premium in look and feel to the model they replace), the Technics EAH-AZ100 are ready to compete. Control options are numerous and well implemented, and the carefully ergonomic design extends as far as providing five different sizes of ear tip.
Of course, if you’re competing at the upper end of the market it’s important to go to these sorts of lengths. The most obvious products the Technics EAH-AZ100 intend to usurp – Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the Pi6 by Bowers & Wilkins, the ubiquitous WF-1000XM5 from Sony – all look good on paper, too. The fight, as always, will be won or lost where sound quality is concerned.
And the sound quality that’s available here is convincing in pretty much every respect – or, at least, it is with ANC switched on. With noise-cancelling engaged, the AZ100 sound robust, insightful and thoroughly musical and sit easily among the best ANC earbuds out there. They can turn their hand to pretty much anything where styles of music are concerned, and are able to extract the most transient details in the most unpromising circumstances. Switch ANC off, through, and the solidly punchy and nicely controlled low frequencies lose a lot of their substance - and the Technics sound fractionally lightweight as a result. There’s a lesson there somewhere…
Technics EAH-AZ100: Price and release date
Release date: 7 January, 2025
Price: $299; £259; AU$478 (approx.)
The Technics EAH-AZ100 are on sale from 7 January 2025, having been unveiled at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. They are an update on Technics' much lauded EAH-AZ80, which arrived in 2023. A US price of $299 (the same asking fee as their predecessors) also puts the AZ100 into competition with any number of well-regarded rivals – think Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, Sennheiser and Sony just for starters…
Technics EAH-AZ100: Specs
Technics EAH-AZ100: Features
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 codec compatibility
10mm free-edge dynamic drivers with ‘magnetic fluid’ technology
Three-device multipoint connectivity
No matter what you think of the way the Technics EAH-AZ100 perform, there’s no arguing with the feature set here. Technics has laid it on with the proverbial trowel.
For instance, the EAH-AZ100 use Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity, and compatibility with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 codecs means there’s something for everyone here. Perhaps it might have been nice to see Qualcomm’s aptX range of codec supported, too, but I guess you can’t have everything,
Once the digital audio information has been wirelessly received, it’s delivered to your ears by a pair of 10mm full-range dynamic drivers with free-edge aluminum diaphragms. The gap between the driver magnet and the voice-coil is filled with a viscous liquid charged with magnetic particles – Technics suggests this results in precise low-frequency response and low distortion throughout the frequency range. They quote a frequency response of 20Hz - 40kHz.
You’re able to enjoy this full-range sound for a good while, too. In the most favorable circumstances (using the AAC codec with active noise-cancellation switched off) the earbuds should play for around 12 hours between charges, and even if you go to town (using the hi-res LDAC codec with ANC switched on) you should be good for seven hours or so. The charging case is good for a respectable-but-hardly-startling one-and-a-half further charges, and you can go from ‘flat’ to ‘full’ in around two hours when charging via USB-C. Fifteen minutes on the juice is good for 90 minutes of playback. The EAH-AZ100 are compatible with Qi-certified charging pads, too, and need around three hours to become fully charged this way.
The noise-cancelling itself is of a new ‘adaptive’ design that intends to adapt to fit the wearer’s ear and deliver optimal results. Three mics per earbud also look after voice control telephony, and Technics has introduced ‘Voice Focus AI’ in order to provide the best possible call quality. The AI noise-reduction chip analyzes your surroundings in order to filter out unwanted sound, and at the same time assesses the incoming call quality in an effort to make conversations as pain-free as possible.
What else? Well, the AZ100 offer three-point connectivity for the inveterate multi-taskers among us. A suite of Dolby technologies – ‘Atmos’, ‘Audio’ and ‘Head-tracking’ – offers spatial audio, enhanced clarity for voice-based content, and a sound-field that responds to the movement of your head respectively.
Feature quality score: 5/5
Technics EAH-AZ100: Design
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
21 x 26 x 25mm (earbud); 36 x 69 x 27mm (charging case)
5.9g (earbud); 42g (charging case)
Five sizes of ear tip
Technics has long had a bee in its bonnet about the fit of true wireless in-ear headphones, and with the EAH-AZ100 it has gone to even greater lengths than before to ensure the earbuds are a secure and comfortable fit for lugholes of all shapes and sizes.
Both the earbuds and the case in which they charge are smaller and lighter than the outgoing EAH-AZ80 model. The concha shape and fit has been reworked, and there are now five sizes of ear tip provided in the package. It seems unlikely in the extreme that you’ll be unable to ensure your AZ100 fit snugly and remain comfortable for hours on end.
Otherwise, it’s high-end Technics earbuds business as usual. The EAH-AZ100 are available in silver or black, and no matter which finish you prefer, you’ll find yourself in possession of well-made, carefully finished and quite tactile earbuds that travel in a smooth, robust charging case with a nice slice of aluminum across the top which bears the company logo.
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Controlling the AZ100 can be done in a number ways, each nicely implemented and responsive. Your source player’s native voice assistant is available, of course, and interactions are rapid and reliable. The same can be said for the capacitive touch-surface on each earbud - it’s in the same spot as the brand logo, and is as responsive and reliable as these things ever get. And you can rearrange the meaning of the various ‘touch’ or ‘hold’ commands in the newly reworked ‘Technics Audio’ control app that’s free for iOS and Android. It’s not, perhaps, the most exciting-looking control app around, but it has a huge array of functionality (from adjusting EQ settings to finessing the amount of noise-cancellation you prefer) and proves utterly stable over the long haul.
Design quality score: 5/5
Technics EAH-AZ100: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Balanced, detailed and respectably dynamic sound
Energetic and unified presentation
Pronounced difference in sound depending on whether ANC is on or off
Asking a premium price for true wireless headphones means there’s really no hiding place when it comes to sound quality – ‘good’ is nothing like good enough. Happily, the Technics EAH-AZ100 are never less than ‘very good indeed’ and are capable of giving the class leaders plenty to worry about.
No matter if they’re dealing with a 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC file of Summon the Fire by The Comet Is Coming via AAC or a 24bit/96kHz copy of Weyes Blood’s Grapevine using LDAC, they’re a balanced and insightful listen, more than capable of bringing order to ear no matter how unruly a recording might think it is. Detail levels are high at every turn, and the AZ100 organize and lay out a recording with such confidence that even the densest tunes are easy to understand.
With ANC on and EQs set to ‘direct’ (which basically means ‘flat’), these Technics are a straightforwardly enjoyable and entirely convincing listen. Low frequency activity is deep, punchy and textured, and controlled with enough authority to make sure rhythms are expressed with assurance. The midrange is open and informative, with a whole stack of detail regarding tone and timbre not only made available but put carefully into context. And there’s proper drive and attack at the top end, but treble sounds have sufficient substance to ensure they never become hard or bitey.
Best of all is the way the AZ100 unify the entirety of the frequency range. They’re completely even-handed, and the sweep from the top end to the bottom is smooth – no area is given undue prominence, no area is underplayed. It’s possible to alter this stance quite radically if you fiddle with the EQ settings, of course, but it’s obvious Technics’ engineers have found a suitable balance – it’s called ‘direct’.
Despite the carefully judged frequency response and naturalistic tonal balance, though, the AZ100 are an energetic and decently dynamic listen when the material you’re listening to demands it. They fairly power through up-tempo stuff like Claro Intelecto’s Peace of Mind and make broad and fine dynamic variations completely obvious. They do this all with absolute authority – the Technics are always in control, and consequently the organization of the soundstage never gets blurred or uncertain.
All the above applies if you have active noise-cancellation switched on, and the ANC itself is pretty effective by the standards of any premium brand that isn’t Bose. Companies both large and small have tried in vain to replicate the almost eerie Bose Blanket of Silence, and all have failed – Technics is simply the latest. But if you accept that the ANC here can be bettered, it’s actually very effective where all but the most near-field, loud and toppy frequency occurrences are concerned.
Switch ANC off, though, and the AZ100 undergo a strange and obvious change in their sonic character. Low frequencies lose a degree of substance, and the overall presentation becomes rather flimsy and lightweight. It may well be fair to suggest that very few people buy a pair of true wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation in order to leave the ANC turned off, but it’s equally fair to point out that any number of alternative designs sound exactly the same no matter if the ANC is operating or not.
Sound quality score: 4.5/5
Technics EAH-AZ100: Value
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Look and feel like a premium item
Balanced, convincing sound (with ANC on)
Very thoroughly specified
Touching and wearing the Technics EAH-AZ100 is a very pleasant experience. They’re nicely made and finished from tactile materials, and the care the company has taken where ergonomics are concerned means getting a secure and comfortable fit is no problem whatsoever.
Technics has been similarly thorough when it comes to specification, too. If you judge value for money by the spec-sheet yardstick, a) you’re not alone, and b) you’re in business here. The AZ100 are handsomely specified, with triple-device multipoint connectivity to boot. Only the lack of aptX compatibility sounding the mildest of false notes.
Sound quality score: 4.5/5
Should you buy the Technics EAH-AZ100?
Buy them if...
You value comfort Small, light, very carefully shaped and with a very wide choice of ear tips, the EAH-AZ100 are no kind of burden to wear for hours on end
You enjoy vibrant, informative sound Keep the ANC switched on and the Technics will reward you with an audio performance that strikes a very nice balance between ‘insight’ and ‘entertainment’
You’re a full-on multi-tasker Triple-point wireless connectivity means your EAH-AZ100 can connect simultaneously to your laptop, your tablet and your smartphone, and switch seamlessly between them
Don't buy them if...
You’re far from mains power for days at a time Seven hours (with ANC on) from the earbuds and another 10 hours or so from the charging case ain’t bad – but not if you like to rock around the clock…
Noise-cancellation is the most important thing To be honest, Technics is far from alone in having ANC that’s not quite as good as that provided by Bose. If noise-cancellation is paramount, buy a pair of QuietComfort Ultra and be done with it
You’re not very dextrous The earbuds fit snugly into their charging case, and unless you have fingers like cocktail sticks it can be a little tricky getting them out
Technics EAH-AZ100: Also consider
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds If you’re after class-leading noise-cancellation along with very competitive ‘everything else’ you need to check out the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds – oh, and they are also available at a new and improved price-point. Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review.
Sony WF-1000XM5 They’re surely not long for this world, but that just means that the Sony WF-1000XM5 are now routinely available for less than $230, and that means they are even more difficult to ignore than before. Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review.
How I tested the Technics EAH-AZ100
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Connected to an iPhone 14 Pro and a FiiO M15S
Various codecs, various file types and various styles of music
Listened (on and off) for very nearly a month
When connected to my iPhone 14 Pro, I am of course limited to the AAC codec - but this is nevertheless a decent-sounding smartphone and reveals a lot of what makes the EAH-AZ100 tick. The best results, though, naturally come via the FiiO M15S digital audio player – it’s compatible with the LDAC codec, which means higher resolution and an altogether fuller audio experience.
I spent the best part of a month (not 24/7, obviously) listening to the Technics earbuds, and in that time listened to a lot of different types of music, of different file standards and resolutions. And it wouldn’t be any kind of hardship to have to do it all again…
The OnePlus 13 is extravagant and restrained. It’s a beautiful phone, sure, but OnePlus has made beautiful phones before. The OnePlus 13 is trustworthy. It’s durable, maybe the most durable phone I’ve tested that wasn’t made with military standards in mind. It’s also refined, with a look that is equally pretty and smart. It will also get four years of Android updates from OnePlus, which is longer than you’ll probably own this phone.
I highly recommend the OnePlus 13, and my biggest concern is that people won’t know what the hell phone I’m talking about. OnePlus fans know the company very well; other folks… not so much.
As I reviewed the OnePlus 13, I met more people than ever asking me what’s that gorgeous phone I’m using (sorry, embargo). I’d tell them it’s the new OnePlus, then I had to spell the name of the company because they’d never heard of it. OnePlus is a company you need to know about if you’re in the market for a premium phone.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
OnePlus had a fascinating trajectory. It started as a flagship-killer-maker, which means it made phones that gave you some of the features found on the best Samsung and best Apple phones, at a lower price. You might get a great display and amazing performance but middling cameras and no wireless charging. You’d also pay hundreds less.
That’s not true for the OnePlus 13. This phone is uncompromising in every way. It’s one of the first phones to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and this chipset delivers on Qualcomm’s lofty promises.
The OnePlus 13 has the best display on any smartphone* (*according to DisplayMate). It has the biggest battery and the longest battery life; and even better, it charges much faster than any Samsung or Apple or Google phone.
The OnePlus 13 has great cameras, too. It can match the best camera phones in many situations, offering just enough artistic flair to compete with the iPhone while giving you AI assistance to zoom like a Galaxy.
Missing features that used to hold OnePlus back have become its biggest strengths on the OnePlus 13. My key complaint about OnePlus phones was the lack of IP68 certification. Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy phones have been water resistant for almost a decade, but OnePlus has never officially certified any of its flagship phones for IP68 durability. This year, the OnePlus 13 takes the plunge with unbeatable IP69 certification, and it’s been the most durable phone I’ve ever tested that doesn’t look like a brick made out of a Jeep.
OnePlus phones also used to lack wireless charging, but today’s OnePlus 13 has so-called AirVOOC wireless charging at up to 50W. To compare, the Qi2 charging standard supports up to 15W, and that’s what you’ll get with iPhone and Galaxy devices. The OnePlus 13 charges faster wirelessly than the iPhone 16 Pro can charge with a USB-C cable.
A OnePlus 13 in the aramid fiber case with the AirVOOC charger attached (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
You can’t buy a OnePlus phone at your local carrier store. That’s probably why your friends or your parents haven’t heard of OnePlus. Selling a phone through Verizon or Vodafone is an expensive proposition that requires testing, free samples, and marketing money. By skipping the carriers and selling direct (mostly), OnePlus says it keeps its prices lower.
Unfortunately, that means a lot of people who would probably love the OnePlus 13 will never hear about it. It also means the OnePlus 13 is harder to afford. When you buy a new iPhone or Galaxy from your carrier, they give you a big discount if you agree to pay for it for the next three years. You don’t get the massive discount with a OnePlus phone, but you also don’t get the three-year obligation.
It’s hard to find anything I don’t like about the OnePlus 13. I don’t wish it had any more AI features now, but the lack of AI might mean this phone gets left behind when the good stuff – agentic AI – finally arrives in a couple of years.
If you’re remotely considering the OnePlus 13, just buy it, you’ll be happy. The battery life alone makes this an easy decision, and the performance, polished interface, and delightful touches throughout make this a phone that will keep you happy as long as you own it, which will be a long time, thanks to its improved durability. The hardest part might be choosing the color and the magnetic case to go with it.
OnePlus 13 review: price and availability
$899.99 / £899 for 12GB RAM, 256GB storage in black only
$999 / £999 for 16GB RAM, 512GB storage and the good colors
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If the OnePlus 13 seems a bit expensive for a sleeper hit, that’s because OnePlus is great at making phones, but not so good at pricing them. You can ignore the list prices (below), because OnePlus offers a perpetual discount on all of its best phones that usually keeps the price lower. In the US, for instance, there is a $100 discount on the upgraded 512GB/16GB model, as well as a guarantee of at least $100 no matter what phone you trade. That means the price is effectively $799.99.
The OnePlus 13 is competing with the absolute top-tier flagship phones, but you can buy it for the price of the base model. The OnePlus 13 cameras, display, and battery life all compete handily against the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the phone can be purchased for the price of an iPhone 16 or Galaxy S24.
The real problem for OnePlus is where and how you can purchase the OnePlus 13. You can buy it directly from OnePlus, or you can buy it from Best Buy, but only the blue or black models, and if you walk into a Best Buy you’ll only find the black. Amazon will have the OnePlus 13 in the near future, but it’s not available on Amazon yet.
OnePlus offers payment plans in the US through third-party Affirm, but doesn’t seem to have similar plans in the UK, which means many people will have to pay up front for the OnePlus 13. That’s not how most of us buy phones, so if you’re used to paying a monthly installment through your mobile carrier, there will be some sticker shock with the OnePlus 13.
OnePlus 13 in every color: black, blue, and white (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Hang in there, though, because having an unlocked phone that you own is a huge benefit. You can shop around for any cell phone plan on any carrier, and when it comes time to sell your phone, you’ll be able to sell it without having a lien from a carrier agreement.
The OnePlus 13 is available in three colors at launch: Midnight Ocean (blue); Arctic Dawn (white); and Black Eclipse (black). My review sample was the blue color, which might be the best one, but the white is quite striking, with a bit of texture in the back that makes it stand out. Also, there’s black.
Value score: 4/5
OnePlus 13 review: specs
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Except for a couple of hardcore gaming phones, the OnePlus 13 is the first mainstream phone we’ve tested with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor inside. The chipset delivers on Qualcomm’s promises. It’s much faster than the previous generation, and it beats Apple’s latest A18 Pro-powered iPhone 16 Pro in many benchmark tests.
The wins don’t stop there. OnePlus says the display is the best that DisplayMate has ever seen, and our tests show it beats competitors in color gamut, if not average brightness. The RAM and storage are significant, and more than enough to drive all of the phone’s AI features and more.
The most impressive specs might be the 6,000mAh battery and the accompanying 80W charging. I’ve never seen a battery this big in a phone that wasn’t made for hardcore gaming. With the huge battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite, the OnePlus 13 is our new battery life champ, and it charges back to full faster than any Samsung or Apple phone, even with the larger cell inside.
OnePlus 13 review: design
Lovely vegan microfiber (aka plastic) on the dark blue
Excellent cases with magnets that make MagSafe accessories work
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
I’ve long been a big fan of OnePlus phone designs, but I had a major complaint that kept me from recommending them more often: OnePlus phones weren’t durable. They were not certified to be water and dust resistant, unlike every major Samsung phone since the Galaxy S7. That all changes with the OnePlus 13, and it changes in a big way.
For such a gorgeous phone, the OnePlus 13 is shockingly durable. Most phone makers test phones to IP68 requirements, which means they can be submerged in one meter of water for thirty minutes, and they won’t allow any dust particles inside. OnePlus turns that dial to 11 with, it claims, the first IP69 certified phone. Technically, IP69 just means IP68 plus more, and OnePlus gave this phone a lot more.
I saw OnePlus reps drop the OnePlus 13 into a clothes washing machine and run it with a full load. I saw the phone placed into a dishwasher, where it sat for a full dish cycle, including the drying. This phone doesn’t just take a dunk. It takes a dunk, a spray, and a punch to the face.
It can’t handle salt water, sadly, but that only leaves room for future improvement. But seriously, this might be the most durable phone you can buy that isn’t made for the military or deep sea drilling operations.
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OnePlus makes the best looking phones you can buy, and the OnePlus 13 continues the trend. While I miss the swirly green from the OnePlus 12, which seemed like a magical object I picked up on my journey through an elfen forest, the Midnight Ocean blue is so strikingly classy that it’s undeniably a good evolution for OnePlus.
For accessories, I highly recommend buying the Aramid Fiber Magnetic case, which is not only incredibly functional, it also looks snazzy with that bright red ring around the camera bump. OnePlus is also offering the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 in a matching hue, a very nice touch.
The OnePlus 13 feels fantastic when you hold it, especially in the blue color with its soft, inviting, ‘microfiber vegan’ finish that makes me wonder why I’d ever consider a cold, glass-backed phone like the iPhone or Galaxy. The circular camera bump seems purposeful and stylish, unlike the embarrassed portholes on the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra. Be proud of your cameras! Of course, you get the Hasselblad H stamp next to the ring, for the three people you meet who have heard of Hasselblad – they will be very impressed.
OnePlus keeps the mute switch on the side of the phone, and it’s the most useful mute switch on any device thanks to intuitive haptic feedback that clearly tells you when the phone will make a ruckus or when it will keep quiet.
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I usually ignore phone cases in my review, but OnePlus has gone above and beyond with this year’s offerings. My review sample came with the aramid fiber case (DuPont’s Kevlar is an aramid fiber), which also has magnets built in that by design line up perfectly with every MagSafe charger and attachment. With the case on, I had no trouble charging my OnePlus 13 on my Anker 3-in-1 cube, or attaching my magnetic wallet to the back – the one that came with my iPhone 16 Pro case.
The OnePlus 13 with my favorite Peak Design magnetic tripod, thanks to the magnetic case (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
If you’re considering switching from an iPhone to OnePlus, all of your MagSafe gear will work fine if you also have one of the new cases attached to your OnePlus 13. It’s an incredibly smart system that – sorry Apple – every phone maker should adopt. Let’s make magnet placement a standard across all phones. OnePlus told me that it kept magnets out of the phone itself to keep the price down, but its cases are gorgeous, and third-party options are already making an appearance.
Design score: 5/5
OnePlus 13 review: display
Fantastic display is rated tops by DisplayMate, apparently
Great colors with a slick design that is curved on all four sides
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
OnePlus points to DisplayMate, which says the OnePlus 13 earned DisplayMate’s Highest Ever Display Performance Grade of A++. Who am I to argue? Our own testing in Future Labs showed a wider color gamut than the iPhone 16 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, except when the Galaxy was boosting its color with Vivid mode turned on.
OnePlus loves to flaunt its maximum brightness numbers, but you will never see the phone reach the 4,500 nits that OnePlus claims. In our tests, the display was not as bright as the iPhone or Galaxy using HDR mode. In my real-world time with the phone, I had no trouble seeing the display even in bright sunlight, and OnePlus handed me the phone after flying me to Miami, so it was plenty bright.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The fingerprint reader under the display was a delight, the most responsive I think I’ve ever used. I don’t remember a missed attempt in my entire three-week review period, while my Galaxy phone fails to read my thumb print on the daily.
I even like the subtle curve all around the edges of the display. It makes for a very appealing device to hold and swipe around. My fingers never caught on the edges, and it gives the phone a premium feel.
Display score: 5/5
OnePlus 13 review: software
The best-looking Android interface, with just the right features
Not as much AI as a Pixel or iPhone, for better and for worse
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At its best, the OnePlus Oxygen OS 15 interface is delightful. It’s colorful enough to be engaging and unique, without feeling cartoonish or distracting. The OnePlus shelf is a brilliant way to handle widgets, with great designs, and the system settings and notification menus are refined and restrained. Every other Android phone maker should be following OnePlus’s lead, because the OnePlus interface doesn’t go too far, like Samsung’s OneUI, or oversimplify, like Google’s vanilla Pixel Android.
Sometimes, OnePlus gets a bit silly in its pursuit to take on Apple, but it's an earnest attempt to create the most thoughtful and appealing phone software you’ll use. There is a fake Dynamic Island on the OnePlus 13 that mimics the pill-shaped island on the latest Apple iPhone 16. Unlike the iPhone, the OnePlus Dynamic Island persists even when the phone is in landscape mode. The feature Apple created to hide the hole in its screen is now being copied to create a fake hole in the screen.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
I appreciated the attempt, and OnePlus sees utility in having a tiny little window with animations for app activity, like your Uber Eats meal approaching or your Audible audiobook playing. All around the OnePlus 13 I found thoughtful touches and flourishes. It never went too far, and OnePlus even retains its controversial Zen Space, an app that will literally lock you out of your own phone, with no way to regain access, for a period that you specify. Zen indeed.
On the other hand, not everything is perfect. OnePlus claimed that its phones could tap to share with the iPhone, which would be a huge win for an Android phone. In fact, your iPhone friends need to download special OnePlus software, then walk through a series of steps. It’s not as seamless as OnePlus made it sound, and I’d never subject my iPhone friends to this process when I can just email a photo or file instead.
Google's Circle To Search scanning for a lighthouse (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
If you’re a huge fan of smartphone AI, what you get on the OnePlus 13 won’t compete with Apple Intelligence or Google’s Pixel phones. You get a lot of Google AI features, including Google Gemini and Circle to Search, but Google isn’t handing over all of the AI magic to its Android partners. For instance, my Pixel 9 Pro will screen calls using an AI assistant, but the OnePlus 13 can’t do that.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
OnePlus also loads its phones with just a bit more first-party bloat than I’d like. There’s a Clone Phone app and that Zen Space app, and those should just be Settings options. The OnePlus Community app should be an optional download. There are sadly two Photos apps, because one is actually Google Photos and the other is from OnePlus. And why is there a strange ‘Internet’ web browser from third-party developer HeyTap? Chrome works fine.
Software score: 4/5
OnePlus 13 review: cameras
Wonderful cameras for action photos and low-light shooting
Heavy reliance on computational tools, but photos look great
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The OnePlus 13 has three 50-megapixel cameras, but forget about the megapixels because megapixels don’t matter. What matters is the size of the sensor. The main sensor on the OnePlus 13 is the Sony LYT-808, the same sensor used on the OnePlus 12. The iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra each use slightly larger main sensors, but the difference is minimal: around 0.06-inches diagonally.
The OnePlus 13 has excellent cameras, and it’s one of the best camera phones you can buy. The OnePlus approach to mobile photography is going to be more and more important in the near future. Instead of packing the phone with massive sensors, OnePlus is aggressively enhancing images with computational photography techniques, to mostly excellent effect.
From the main sensor, I got photos that fell somewhere between the oversaturated, explosive colors I see from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the staid, film-like softness of the iPhone 16 Pro. The OnePlus 13 takes photos that are stylish and realistic, without being dull.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
In some ways, the OnePlus camera is truly remarkable, like with zoom shots and action photos. Though the OnePlus 13 gets a lot of help from AI to fix the 3x zoom long-distance pics, the result is much better than the competition. Zooming in on my kid on the football field, the iPhone left him grainy and blurred, while the Galaxy made him look cartoonish. The OnePlus 13 offered remarkable detail and sharpness without much blur, even on action shots taken in low light.
Shooting fast-action scenes gave the OnePlus 13 even more advantage. OnePlus paid for me to take a Royal Caribbean cruise with other tech media (I know, I know) to preview the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R, and I got to photograph folks riding the simulated surfing wave. Under cloudy skies or even at night with disco lights, I got amazing shots that other phone cameras couldn’t approach.
I still think that the iPhone 16 Pro offers a better look, and the photos from my iPhone look like real photo prints, which can be charming. The OnePlus 13 offers amazing dynamic range, but it suffers from the classic camera phone problem of balancing everything too evenly. Sometimes I don’t want to see so much detail, I want a little more mystery.
Camera score: 4/5
OnePlus 13 review: camera samples
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OnePlus 13 review: performance
The fastest phone you can buy, if you need that
Android needs software to justify performance gains, besides AI
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What do you do with the fastest phone in the world? That’s the question I’m left pondering after my time with the OnePlus 13, which scored higher in important benchmarks than any other phone we’ve tested in Future Labs. It beat the iPhone 16 Pro Max handily in multi-core processing performance and on most graphics tests. Against the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the OnePlus 13 was twice as fast on some tests.
In the real world? Yes, it’s the fastest phone I’ve ever used. The interface is incredibly snappy, and OnePlus says its doing work behind the scenes to make sure that everything apps open and windows render faster on the OnePlus 13 than any other phone. Still, phones were already plenty fast, and I don’t know a single human who can perceive the difference between the fastest overall and the third, fourth, or tenth fastest phone.
The problem is that Android software, especially, hasn’t caught up to the performance benefits. Sure, I can use Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Premiere to edit photos and videos, but the software doesn’t work the same as it does on a desktop computer. Even worse, Apple has far more desktop-class applications developed for its mobile platforms, likely because it took the lead with pro software like Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro. Where is the Final Cut for Android? What apps justify the need for so much power?
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I suspect that all of the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s processing power will be used eventually by upcoming AI features. For now, the AI story is confusing. It seems that the OnePlus 13 is offloading most of its AI work to various cloud servers. It isn’t doing much machine learning computation on the phone itself, even though that’s supposed to be the whole point of the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Frankly, the Snapdragon will benefit Samsung more than OnePlus, because Samsung stuffs its phones full of software features like the DeX desktop environment, the Bixby assistant, and more robust edge panels and pop-up bonuses. You’ll find a useful, simpler edge panel on the OnePlus 13 by swiping in from the edge of the phone, but you won’t find a desktop computer hidden inside. I appreciate that OnePlus doesn’t overload its phones with features I’d hardly use.
Performance score: 5/5
OnePlus 13 review: battery
The longest battery life of any phone we’ve tested
Astonishing charging speeds, even charging wirelessly
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Ahhh, here’s the answer to the Snapdragon question: How does the OnePlus 13 benefit from using the Snapdragon 8 Elite? It’s the battery life, which is the best I’ve ever experienced from a mobile phone. My OnePlus 13 lasted longer than a full day of use every day I used it, and I would often forget to charge it at night in my first week of testing because I simply wasn’t worried that it would run out of juice.
In our lab testing, the OnePlus 13 lasted 15 minutes shy of 20 hours. The iPhone 16 Pro Max lasted just over 17 and a half hours, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra couldn’t last 17 hours in our testing. That’s the longest any phone has lasted, though it shouldn’t be a huge surprise because the phone to beat was the OnePlus 12R, a big battery powerhouse with an efficient Snapdragon inside.
In the aramid fiber case with the AirVOOC charger (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
In my real-world use, honestly I’m not entirely sure because charging the OnePlus 13 is very fun. It charges so fast, it’s incredible. OnePlus also gave me the new AirVOOC wireless charging puck with a cooling fan built in, and it attaches magnetically to the back of the OnePlus 13 when it’s wearing a case. Even with the wireless charger, the OnePlus 13 charges faster than my iPhone or Galaxy. But connected to a special OnePlus red cable? Superhuman (phone) speeds.
When I can charge my phone past 50% in the 15 minutes it takes me to shower, I barely worry about battery life. Or I can drop my phone onto the wireless charger and get a full charge in an hour while I catch up on work. The OnePlus 13 lasts longer than any other phone, sure, but it almost doesn’t need to last so long because, even with the huge battery, it charges faster than all the rest.
In 15 minutes, the OnePlus 13 charges to 52% full. In the same time, my iPhone 16 Pro Max reached 29%, and my Galaxy S24 Ultra hit 39%. After charging for 30 minutes, the OnePlus was five minutes from being totally topped up, while the other phones weren’t even three-quarters charged.
OnePlus even gives you a charger in the box, though it must, because no other charger will charge the OnePlus 13 that fast. You must use the special OnePlus charger. In the near future, OnePlus will be releasing an even more special charger than can charge the phone to the full 100W speed, instead of just 80W, though that big brick will cost a lot extra.
Battery score: 5/5
Should you buy the OnePlus 13?
Buy it if...
You want the best battery and fastest charging The OnePlus 13 has the best battery life of any phone I’ve tested, and it can charge to full in just over 30 minutes like a fiend.
You want a beautiful phone that is delightful to use The OnePlus 13 turns heads and makes people ask what phone I’m using. I’m happy to show them, the interface is just as pretty.
You want to switch from iPhone to Android I’m calling it: the OnePlus 13 is the phone to consider if you want to switch from iPhone to a more versatile, powerful phone with better battery life.
Don't buy it if...
All your friends have iPhones Sorry to say that OnePlus’s iPhone sharing capabilities don’t live up to the hype, and may frustrate friends more than help.
You don’t have that much cash on hand Your mobile carrier will practically give you a Galaxy or iPhone free if you sign your soul away for a few years.
You want the best camera phone The OnePlus 13 is one of the best camera phones, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro still take better photos in many situations.
OnePlus 13 review: also consider
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Apple’s big phone gives you a Camera Control button, Apple Intelligence, and all of Apple’s unique features that only work between iPhones. Read our full Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra This Galaxy is about to be replaced, but it still hits hard with amazing cameras, the water resistant S Pen camera remote, and tons of other features. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.
How I tested the OnePlus 13
OnePlus flew me to Miami to give me a OnePlus 13 review sample, then paid for me to join the company and around three dozen other reviewers on a 4-day Royal Caribbean cruise. OnePlus had no say in any part of this review and did not ask for any consideration in return. I tested the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R during that period and for two weeks after, side-by-side against all of my best phones.
I tested the phone by submerging it in water, spraying it with a hose, and generally abusing it with liquids then washing it in the sink.
I had the OnePlus 13 for around three weeks before this review was published. I used it as my primary work phone that time, including Slack, Google Meet, Vampire Survivors, and Google’s office suite. I also used Google Gemini Advanced with my own personal subscription to the service.
I used the OnePlus 13 primarily as a camera and video camera, but I also played a lot of games, listened to music, and used it for maps and navigation. I connected the OnePlus 13 to my car stereo via Bluetooth and Android Auto, and I connected to a variety of other headphones including the matching OnePlus Buds Pro 3, Sony Bluetooth headphones, Google Pixel Buds Pro, and more.
I benchmarked the OnePlus 13 using a variety of benchmarking software available from the Google Play Store. The phone was also independently tested in Future Labs by our reviews testing team.
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A tidily packaged APS-C camera with great handling and plenty of features at decent price, we rated the original Nikon Z50 highly. Its successor takes that recipe and supercharges it, with the help of an Expeed 7 processor. The result is a versatile mirrorless camera that’s perfect to learn and grow with.
Its dimensions are neat enough to compete with the best travel cameras, yet Nikon hasn’t sacrificed ergonomics. Slightly larger than the original, the Z50 II feels fantastic in the hand. With a deep grip and plenty of direct-access controls, as well as a useful vari-angle touchscreen and upgraded viewfinder, it’s a satisfying camera to shoot with, whether you’re capturing stills or video.
Under the hood, Nikon’s latest Expeed 7 processor runs the show – the same silicon found in the Nikon Z9 and Z8. It might be pitched as an entry-level option, but that chip gives the Z50 II some serious pace. The interface is quick as you like, while autofocus performance is superlative. Equipped with detection modes for nine different subject types, including people, animals and vehicles, it’s as fast and accurate as many of Nikon’s more expensive models.
Processor aside, a lot remains unchanged from the Z50. That includes the APS-C sensor which, at 20.9MP, is bettered by many of the best beginner mirrorless cameras. That said, it’s still capable of producing detailed and realistic images when paired with a quality Z mount lens. If you already own a Z50, you won’t notice a huge difference in overall quality – although noise performance has been improved thanks to the Expeed 7 processor, meaning stills are cleaner at the same ISO settings.
(Image credit: Future / Chris Rowlands)
Nikon has also bolstered the video capabilities of the Z50 II, boosting its status as an all-rounder. 4K frame rates now top out at 60fps, albeit with a 1.5x crop, and it becomes the first Nikon APS-C camera to support 10-bit N-log video – giving videography enthusiasts more flexibility when color grading in post. A headphone socket is a welcome addition, too.
The features above are complemented by a new Product Review mode, which allows influencers to produce content where the focus shifts seamlessly from presenter to product. There’s also a Picture Control button on the top plate, which gives easy access to color presets, with the option to add downloaded Creator Recipes alongside the built-in presets.
Taken as a whole, the Z50 II proves that one camera can work effectively for different creative styles and experience levels. Buy it as a beginner and it will quickly yield impressive results. Stick with it as you improve and the Z50 II has the controls and capabilities to continue delivering.
Nikon Z50 II: price and release date
Body-only price: $909.95 / £849 / AU$1499.95
With the 16-50mm kit lens: $1,346.95 / £1,199 / AU$ N/A
Available now
Like the original Z50, the Z50 II is positioned at the entry-level end of Nikon’s Z mount line-up. With a body-only price of $909.95 / £849 / AU$1499.95, that feels like a competitive offer for such a well-rounded APS-C camera.
In Australia and the US, the Z50 II costs pretty much the same as the original did at launch. In the UK, it’s cheaper by £50. That makes it excellent value. While the Z50 can now be found at a discount online, we think the second-gen version is the smarter buy: it’s not a total upgrade, but its powerful processor and video upgrades make it the more accomplished all-rounder.
That price also makes it slightly cheaper than the Canon EOS R10, our current favorite camera for beginners and arguably the Nikon Z50 II’s closest rival. Both are compact APS-C cameras with modern autofocus and comparable video skills. Which is right for you will come down to more than cost alone, but the Z50 II wins on price.
The Z50 II can also be picked up with bundled lenses. If you’re not already bought into the Z mount system, this is a great way to save on entry-level glass. Options include a single-lens kit with a 16-50mm VR lens for $1,049.95 / £999, and a twin-lens kit which throws in a 50-250mm VR number for $1,299.95 / £1,199. There’s also an 18-140mm kit in the UK and Australia for £1,299 / AU$2,279.
Price score: 5/5
Nikon Z50 II: specs
Nikon Z50 II: design and handling
Upgraded viewfinder and vari-angle touchscreen
Slightly bigger dimensions with a deeper grip
Dedicated Picture Controls button for style presets
At first glance, the Nikon Z50 II bears a strong resemblance to the original Z50. It’s a tidily packaged camera, very much in the established mold of entry-level mirrorless models. Its dimensions are compact enough to be travel friendly, yet it also benefits from a sturdy build and comfortable ergonomics.
That’s in part because the Z50 II is marginally bigger and heavier than the first version. In the hand, we found its grip substantial enough to wrap our fingers around, without being cumbersome. We also appreciated the extra grams: the body features plenty of plastic, but doesn’t feel flimsy in use.
Look closer at the Z50 II and you’ll find several welcome refinements. The tilting screen of the original has become a fully articulating display, a much more flexible solution for framing on the move. This is especially useful for videography and vlogging, as it can flip all the way around to face the front. So is the addition of a headphone port, which allows aspiring filmmakers to monitor audio in real time when recording footage.
The viewfinder has also received the attention of Nikon’s product developers. It has the same 2.36m-dot resolution as before, but is now twice as bright at up to 1000 nits. In practise, that makes the EVF an easier adjustment for the eyes when framing and shooting in daylight conditions.
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Eagle eyes will also discover new additions to the control layout. In our review of the Z50, we complimented the layout and balance of its buttons and dials, praising its resemblance to full-frame Nikon siblings like the Z6 and Z7. The Z50 II gets closer still, with the addition of five new buttons.
You still don’t get a joystick, which means selecting the AF point requires use of the touchscreen. What you do get are zoom buttons, a display button and a dedicated drive button. These aren’t game-changing additions, but we valued their presence: they bolster the Z50 II’s chops for aspiring enthusiasts, making it easier to change key settings, without cluttering the interface.
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The fifth new button sits on the top plate. A first for any Nikon camera, it gives instant access to Picture Controls – a library of aesthetic presets. To seasoned users, this might sound like a fad, but we think it will appeal to learners who want to get creative while shooting JPEGs. 31 profiles come pre-installed, with the option to adjust them through NX Studio. You can also download Creator Recipes from Nikon Imaging Cloud, and select which appear in the list.
The button’s presence leans into the Z50 II’s status as a camera for all kinds of creators. So does the fact that you can re-program its function, a useful option which will appeal to users as they move into shooting RAW stills and making color edits in post.
Design score: 4.5/5
Nikon Z50 II: features and performance
Expeed 7 processor drives subject-recognition AF
Same 20.9MP APS-C sensor as the Nikon Z50
First Nikon APS-C camera with 10-bit N-log video
If you already own a Nikon Z50, you’ll find a lot of familiar numbers on the spec sheet. The Z50 II uses the same 20.9MP APS-C sensor as its predecessor. Its mechanical burst speeds max out at 11fps. And, like many of the best mirrorless cameras for beginners, it still doesn’t offer in-body image stabilization. What it does have is a new engine.
The headline upgrade for the Z50 II is its Expeed 7 processor – the same chip used by the flagship Nikon Z9 and, subsequently, the Z8. This is the first time it’s been fitted to an APS-C body. As the motor that drives everything from autofocus to burst shooting speeds to video frame rates, it has a lot to do. Based on our experience, the Expeed 7 makes the Z50 II a proper pocket rocket.
Chief among the benefits of that new chip is top-spec subject-recognition autofocus. It might be an entry-level model, but the Nikon Z50 II can detect and lock on to targets rapidly and reliably. It has dedicated detection modes for nine different subject types, including people, animals, birds and cars, as well as an auto setting which can pick up a range of subjects at the same time.
(Image credit: Future / Chris Rowlands)
In our experience, the Z50 II’s autofocus performance feels just as snappy in action scenarios as many of Nikon’s more expensive full-frame Z series models. With a new High-Speed Frame Capture+ mode which allows you to shoot at up to 30fps using the electronic shutter, this is a camera that’s perfectly comfortable covering action. We did encounter some rolling shutter when using this mode, but it's nevertheless an impressive feature for an entry-level camera.
It helps that the SD card slot now supports UHS-II cards for faster read and write speeds. The USB port has also been upgraded to a Type-C number, which brings a host of benefits: as well as 5Gbit/s transfer rates, it can be used to charge the camera directly, while UVC/UAC compatibility means it can be used as a webcam without the need for additional software.
(Image credit: Future / Chris Rowlands)
Nikon has pitched the Z50 II as a hybrid, which is reflected in its video skills. Even with the same sensor as the Z50, Nikon has harnessed the power of the Expeed 7 to squeeze more recording performance out of it. That includes the ability to capture 4K/60p video, albeit with a 1.5x crop. Uncroppped 4K footage is shot at 30fps, oversampled from 5.6K.
It’s also the first Nikon APS-C camera to support 10-bit N-log video, as well as the option to use RED Luts. This makes the Z50 II a camera with the flexibility for budding filmmakers to grow with, as they learn the ropes of videography and start to explore the possibilities of color grading.
These enthusiast-grade video capabilities might go beyond what most beginners need, but the Z50 II is also well-equipped for first-timers. A new Product Review mode seamlessly adjusts focus from the presenter to an object brought into the frame, similar to the Product Showcase feature found on cameras like the Sony ZV-1. It won’t be relevant to everyone, but if you have ambitions of becoming an influencer, it’s an effective tool.
Like the Z50, the Z50 II features electronic vibration reduction to help steady handheld footage. As before, this applies a 1.3x crop to video. Nikon claims that the feature has been improved for the Z50 II, though our tests found that it still isn’t a replacement for full in-body image stabilization.
Features and performance score: 4.5/5
Nikon Z50 II: image and video quality
Excellent image quality in most conditions
Better noise-handling than the Z50 at the same ISO
4K/60p video with a 1.5x crop
On the whole, images from the Z50 II are as they were with the Z50: realistic, vibrant and clear. While its competitors offer higher resolutions, the 20.9MP sensor inside the Z50 II still does an admirable job of capturing detail.
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With the white balance on automatic, we found stills out of the camera to be nicely saturated and just the right amount of dynamic range, without straying too far from neutral. The metering system coped well in a range of lighting scenarios, delivering well-judged exposures. We found that skin tones in particular were rendered faithfully in natural lighting, with a touch of warmth only detectable when shooting under heavy artificial lighting.
While its sensor size and ISO range are unchanged, we found that the Nikon Z50 II handles noise better than the Z50, thanks to the Expeed 7 processor. It was always going to lose out to its full-frame siblings, but you can get away with pushing the ISO number higher on the Z50 II before significant smoothing becomes an issue. ISO 12800 is still the upper limit, but you can comfortably lean on ISO 6400 if the conditions demand it.
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If you’re purely a stills photographer, you will get better resolution elsewhere. What sets the Z50 II apart as a value offering is its autofocus performance, as well as its hybrid video abilities. As noted above, stabilization isn’t perfect, but the same adjectives are true of 4K footage from the Z50 II as for its stills.
We found 4K/60p video to be well-defined and nicely balanced. In our tests, the Z50 II adapted well to different light sources and levels, producing lifelike footage that’s good for grading. Used with a tripod, we can’t see content creators having any issues with the video that the Nikon Z50 II captures.
Image and video quality score: 4.5/5
Nikon Z50 II: testing scorecard
Should I buy the Nikon Z50 II?
Buy it if...
You want top-spec autofocus Driven by Nikon’s Expeed 7 processor, the Z50 II offers autofocus performance to rival the flagship Z9. With subject detection modes for people, animals and more, it’s rapid and reliable.
You value ergonomics and handling A deeper grip makes the Z50 II even more comfortable to shoot with. A vari-angle touchscreen is helpful for framing, while new buttons bring its control layout in line with full-frame Z models.
You want to shoot a mix of stills and video With 4K/30p footage oversampled from 5.6K, plus support for N-log 10-bit recording and a useful Product Review mode for vloggers, the Z50 II has the video capabilities of a proper hybrid.
Don't buy it if...
You already own the Z50 Performance improvements from the Expeed 7 processor are notable, but with few other changes to the overall package, there’s probably not enough here to justify upgrading from the original Z50.
You need in-body image stabilization Like many entry-level mirrorless cameras, the Z50 II lacks in-body image stabilization. Electronic video stabilization is available with a crop, but you’ll need a VR lens for optical shake reduction.
You want high-resolution stills At 20.9MP, the Z50 II’s APS-C sensor doesn’t have the highest pixel count. If the number of megapixels matters to you, other entry-level mirrorless cameras offer more for similar money.
Nikon Z50 II: also consider
Canon EOS R10
Our top pick for beginners, the R10 is a similarly priced entry-level mirrorless camera with a compact design, impressive autofocus and rapid burst speeds. It also benefits from a deep grip. Like the Z50 II, it has no in-body image stabilization and puts a crop on 4K/60p video.
Its 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor is smaller than the APS-C type inside the Z50 II and has (fractionally) fewer megapixels, but the Mark IV impresses in other ways. It offers excellent in-body image stabilization, classic styling and a compact body, all at a more accessible body-only price.
Another APS-C Nikon Z mount camera, the Z fc offers a stunning blend of old and new. It uses the same sensor as the Z50 II, packaged in a body inspired by the retro FM2. You also get a vari-angle touchscreen, making this a great value casual alternative.
I tested the Nikon Z50 II for a fortnight, shooting with it on a daily basis. Nikon supplied me with three Z mount lenses for this review: the Z 35mm f/1.4, the Z 85mm f/1.2 S and the Z 70-180mm f/2.8. This allowed me to cover a range of subjects and scenarios with the Z50 II, from street scenes to portraits.
To assess its hybrid capabilities, I used the Z50 II to shoot a combination of stills and video. I also shot fast-moving subjects, including children and dogs, to put its autofocus and burst speeds to the test. During testing, I used one of the best SD cards, a SanDisk Class 10 U3 model, to ensure that performance wasn’t throttled by the memory card.
I also tested the Z50 II at various times of day and in different weather conditions, from bright sunlight to overcast skies. The resulting stills let me assess the white balance out of the camera, as well as how effectively the Z50 II handled noise at different ISO settings.
It's been three years since Severance captivated us with its mystery-filled plot. Apple's dark comedy thriller series rightly earned plenty of acclaim and awards for its debut season, but, amid the seemingly infinite unanswered questions its twisty-turny story posed, one in particular has stood out since season 1 ended in April 2022: could a second installment, which was greenlit days after season 1's final entry, live up to or even exceed fan expectations?
Mark Scout's return to Lumon Industries poses some immediate questions for him and viewers alike (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
After a brief audio montage of the season 1 finale's bombshell moments plays over a black screen, Severance season 2 opens on Mark Scout's (Adam Scott) surprisingly swift return to Lumon. Episode 1's cleverly-executed 'one-shot' reintroduction sequence, which is essentially an extended version of Severance season 2's first teaser, shows Mark's 'innie' – i.e. Mark S – racing through the shady institution's maze-like corridors to seemingly reunite with his colleagues Helly R (Britt Lower), Dylan G (Zach Cherry), and Irving B (John Turturro).
I would've liked to have seen more of Mark butting heads with his new co-workers
Or so he thinks. Eventually finding his way back to the Macrodata Refinement office, Mark S is unexpectedly greeted by some unfamiliar faces, including the Severed Floor's new deputy manager Ms Wong (Sarah Bock).
Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman), who's replaced Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) as the the floor's head honcho, then appears to reveal that five months have passed since Mark and his fellow 'innies' carried out their Overtime Contingency stunt. That prison break-style quest, dubbed the 'Macrodata Uprising', saw the 'innies' successfully – albeit temporarily – merge with their 'outies' in the real world and almost expose Lumon's nefarious working practices to the unsuspecting public. That incident, Milchick claims, led to 'Severance Reform', a supposedly radical overhaul of Lumon's working conditions and employees' rights.
Way to burst Mark's balloons, Seth... (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
But it's not all good news. Per more succinct story exposition, Milchick claims that Helly, Irving, and Dylan decided not to rejoin Mark at Lumon, hence the aforementioned strangers being hired to replace them.
This specific revelation cleverly reimagines the show's very first episode, which saw Mark S welcome chaotic newcomer Helly to Lumon. This time, Mark is positioned as the group's rebel-in-chief, with his attempts to sabotage his new colleagues and reunite with his previous workmates bringing the series' pleasing blend of absurdist humor and disquieting drama to the fore mere minutes into season 2's premiere.
Peculiarly, this nascent team restructuring is a short-lived affair as, spoilers notwithstanding, it isn't long before Mark S is reunited with his Lumon peers. Given the slick and sharp chemistry between the show's main cast, I understand why creator Dan Erickson and director/producer Ben Stiller waste little time in reconnecting them. Nevertheless, I would've liked to have seen more of Mark butting heads with his new co-workers, and raging against the megacorporate machine over their hiring to humorous and dramatic effect before being reunited with the aforementioned trio.
Getting the band back together
Helly and Mark S investigate new areas of Lumon Industries throughout season 2 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
That reunion, which occurs just before episode 1's midpoint, is necessitated by season 2's overarching plot, and the inter- and intrapersonal relationships that make the Apple TV Plus show tick.
Severance's strength lies in the friendships, and the budding romance between Mark S and Helly, that were established in season 1. So, while there's a need to fill in the narrative gaps between last season's cliffhanger and this season's premiere – a series of episode 2 flashbacks get us up to speed on what's happened in the interim – expanding on those key relationships and other character-driven aspects is vital to Severance's ongoing success. It's not a complete shock, then, that Mark S is reunited with his buddies as early as possible.
Season 2's expasion of those key relationships and other character-driven aspects is vital to Severance's ongoing success
But things aren't hunky dory upon the group's reformation. Whether it's Helly's reluctance to tell the others that her 'outie' is none other than Helena Egan, aka the daughter of Lumon's current CEO, or other spoiler-filled subplots which I can't expand on, season 2 does a upstanding job of putting its core characters through the psychological and emotional wringer. Much of that stems from their individual and collective decision-making in last season's finale, the ramifications of which are keenly felt in this season's early episodes and make for engrossing viewing as Mark S and company grapple with the severity and significance of their so-called uprising.
Dylan and Irving's entertaining bromance is examined further in season 2 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
Those problems also bring the conflicting ideals, motives, and desires of each individual's 'outie' and 'innie' into sharp focus. As the show's protagonist, Mark's intrapersonal dynamic was examined extensively throughout season 1, but, as he wrestles with new and long-standing issues this season, there's a gratifying evolution to his character arc that puts a distinct spin on the series' exploration of morality. Indeed, whether it's his desire to quit Lumon, ensure his 'innie' succeeds in rescuing Ms Casey (Dichen Lachman) – remember, she's the 'innie' version of Mark's deceased, real-world wife – or take an experimental, life-threatening leap into the unknown, the moral complexities of Mark and his 'innie' character feel more substantial this season.
Season 2 does a upstanding job of putting its core characters through the psychological and emotional wringer
Pleasingly, this exploration also extends to Helly, Irving B, and Dylan G, how the choices made by their 'innie' personas impact their 'outies', and the growing unease and/or anger over the lack of autonomy that these 'innies' have compared to their 'outie' counterparts.
Just as season 1 did with Mark, season 2 analyzes who these people are outside of Lumon, including the struggles they face – yes, even someone as emotionally manipulative and callous as Helena is confronted with everyday challenges – and the real-world relationships they maintain. Examining the lives of each character's 'outie' humanizes (or, in Helena's case, dehumanizes) them in enlightening ways and occasionally made me re-evaluate who I was rooting for as new light was shed on the moral ambiguity of, and internal battles taking place within, each character.
Out of office
In season 2, the 'innies' are intentionally dropped into the real world by Lumon Industries (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
Following on from the embryonic blending of the real-world and Lumon narratives in last season's finale, Severance's second chapter slowly and deliberately continues to merge its dual storylines together, oftentimes to devastating effect. From episode 4's real-world company retreat for the 'innies', which adds a deliciously novel layer of trippy horror to proceedings, to Lumon's unsevered higher-ups wilfully seeking out the Macrodata Refiners' loved ones, such as Mark's sister Devon (Jen Tullock) for devilish reasons, the interweaving of the 'innie' and 'outie' worlds triggers some blindsiding character incidents that' I suspect will reverberate through season 2 and beyond.
The interweaving of the 'innie' and 'outie' worlds triggers some blindsiding character moments
Season 2's much-needed exploration of the wider threat posed by Lumon is most welcome, too. The Egan family-founded organization's questionable practices have been notable from the outset, but there was the inherent belief among audiences that their operation was restricted to the US. Season 2 heavily implies that this isn't the case, however, and I'm certainly intrigued to see how big Lumon's global reach is as this season and the overall series progresses, and whether Mark S and his cohorts stand any chance of tearing it down from the inside.
Sarah Bock's Ms Wong is one of nine new additions to Severance's cast in season 2 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
Severance's ability to dangle mysteries right in front of our noses without offering much, if anything, in the way of explanations is equally riveting. Season 2 maintains the show's puzzle-laced aura and penchant for 'new weird' storytelling with mesmeric effect, and I'm convinced an immeasurable amount of new fan theories will be born out of the latest secrets and enigmas it presents. Oh, and for anyone besotted by season 1's baby goats, you'll be pleased to learn that, even though they were teased in Severance season 2's official trailer, their reappearance isn't superficial. Just don't expect any of your most pressing questions about them to be answered (there is, though, an amusing season 1 call-back as part of this installment's goats-based subplot, which I appreciated).
Gwendoline Christie's enigmatic character has ties to Severance's adorable baby goats (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
As for this season's fledgling new dynamics, Milchick and Ms Wong's is the most worthy of being highlighted. The introduction of other enigmatic characters, such as Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), certainly add sinister weight to one of the best Apple TV Plus shows' sophomore outing. Nevertheless, the addition of a pre-teen in Bock's Ms Wong to Lumon's ranks underpins the clandestine organization's iniquitous nature and only intensifies the unease I felt every time she appeared and/or was chastized by one of her superiors. Her hiring as Milchick's junior and questioning of his true aspirations, though, ruffles her supervisor's feathers, and I'm fascinated to see how this dynamic evolves as season 2 progresses.
Harmony Cobel is largely relegated to the sidelines in season 2's early entries
The only minor issue I have with this dynamic is it deprives us of season 1's tetchy and enthralling Cobel-Milchick partnership. In fact, Cobel is largely relegated to the sidelines in season 2's early entries, which greatly disappointed me. I've no doubt that Arquette's cryptic individual has a bigger role to play in Severance's sequel season, but I would've loved to see more of her verbal bouts with Lumon's hierarchy and Mark, especially in the wake of last season's fiery finale.
I'd argue, though, that its follow-up is a darker, more unsettlingly comedic, oft-times saccharine, and intelligently assembled season that's equal parts a coming-of-age story and corporate retelling of the classic David versus Goliath tale. Truth be told, there's very little about Severance season 2 that made me want to *ahem* sever ties with it. Simply put, it's the first unmissable show of 2025.
Severance season 2 premieres on Apple TV Plus on Friday, January 17. New episodes air weekly.
The Coros Pace Pro is a higher-priced model for the brand as the company sets its sights on the Garmin, Suunto, and Polar competition. As such you have a watch that's crammed with all the best features you'd expect from a premium all-sports smartwatch.
So why pay for this over a similarly priced Garmin Forerunner 265? Well, the AMOLED screen on this is the same one found in the Apple Watch with a whopping 1500-nits of brightness, making it a stunner you can read in all light conditions. It does this while remaining battery efficient too for a top class 38 hours with all sensors up and running, or a good 20 days of standby time – with a zippy two-hour recharge time.
It is a lot lighter than a lot of the competition too, as light as 37g with the right strap, yet is still made from robust casing materials and features a useful rotating crown button. The display covering does let it down though, as it's made from mineral glass rather than the hardier Gorilla Glass you'll find from the competition.
GPS and HR accuracy aren't perfect but will be more than good enough to serve most needs, and it's the best on a Coros device yet. If you want even more accuracy you'll need to pay more for the top-end kit or factor in buying a chest or arm strap HR monitor too.
Coros Pace Pro: Specs
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
Coros Pace Pro: Price and Availability
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
$349 / £349 / AU$599
Cheaper than some premium smartwatches
Relatively affordable despite AMOLED
The Coros Pace Pro steps out from the usual business model for this company - of undercutting the competition - instead standing more alongside. As such it is more expensive than many models that have gone before.
The Coros Pace Pro is available to buy now starting at $349 / £349 / AU$599.
For all the specs this offers - including AMOLED display, multi-band GPS, mapping and navigation, and music onboard - this is a really well-priced option. The mineral glass screen is not as impressive as the competition and means it will be more prone to damage.
The watch comes in Black, Grey, or Blue options. There are silicone or nylon band options, which vary the weight from 49g for silicon to just 37g for nylon. The silicon comes as standard but these bands are in the optional extras section, charged at $29 on top of the standard price if you want a second type.
All decent, but when you consider you can buy a Garmin Forerunner 265 for the same price, which is a far more established and reliable brand, this price doesn't seem quite so impressive.
Value score: 4/5
Coros Pace Pro: Design
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
Useful rotating crown
Bright AMOLED display
Super lightweight
Right from the outset the Coros Pace Pro feels so light compared to the competition, which is great news for runners and longer-distance triathletes. I did think it felt a bit less premium as a result, but once I got used to it I realized it's built to a very high-quality finish just with lightness in mind rather than flashy materials.
The watch features a stunning 1.3-inch AMOLED, with a whopping 1500-nits brightness. This is actually the same screen technology used in the recent Apple Watch models – meaning a very bright and color-rich display no matter the conditions. Even reading it underwater feels better than any of the competition.
Unfortunately, the use of mineral glass, instead of the sapphire crystal that Garmin uses, can mean more damage is likely from this less resilient material. Not that I got any damage while testing this, even with heavy gym use.
The watch is a touchscreen, which works fantastically well in a super responsive way, but there is also a rotating crown option. This doubles as one of the two buttons on the watch. Press and hold to unlock then push again to access the various sports which you can scroll through using the rotation. This is so effortless and effective that I found myself using that instead of the touchscreen mostly – keeping the screen lovely and smudge-free.
The second button can be touched to cycle through on-screen metrics, like steps, heart rate, sunset and sunrise, and more. Or press and hold that to access the system settings, alarms, maps, music, and more.
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
The menus in general deserve a mention as part of the design section as they're clearly well thought out with a minimalism that makes use intuitive and – crucially – fast. You can go from locked to run tracking in as little as four button touches. That crown comes into use again when training as a quick roll can often be easier than using the touchscreen, thanks to that very tactile analog feel.
Round the back, you've got a new optical heart rate sensor with green lights, which also come with the more advanced red light for the detection of SpO2 data and even ECG recordings. Despite the case size moving up to 46mm from the Pace 3's 42mm, this is still compact enough to be worn comfortably on most wrists.
The charger is similar to Garmin's, but is bespoke. It uses a cable that plugs into USB-C so can work with many outlets and charger blocks too. All that and it charges back to full in just two hours.
Design score: 4/5
Coros Pace Pro: Features
Lots of sensors
Always-on display
Offline TOPO maps
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
The Coros Pace Pro is packed full of smart sensors meaning you can enjoy a broad range of tracking. That includes – deep breath – Optical Heart Rate Sensor, Barometric Altimeter, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Electronic Compass, Pulse Oximeter (SpO2) and ECG.
That all means this will offer tracking while exercising, sleeping, walking, and on-demand for things like SpO2 measurement. But it also means everything can be combined to offer smarter overall measurements and more effective feedback on things like training readiness or recovery needs.
That super bright display is also worth mentioning here as it's very clear even in direct sunlight, but won't cost you too much battery – with a decent 38 hours with all systems tracking. There is the option to go for always-on, or intermittent, with the former costing you about 6 days on that 20-day standby battery life. In always-on, you'll see the clock dimmed and it will brighten when you lift to look, as opposed to only doing that to turn on with the intermittent option. I found it super responsive either way.
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
The inclusion of offline TOPO maps elevates this model forward over its predecessor. It means you can have maps and routes, although it doesn't offer auto re-routing when on the move, unfortunately. Much like the maps, which can be a faff to get routes loaded onto the watch, music is also a drag-and-drop affair as there's no offline Spotify support – although the 32GB storage is plenty.
Run-specific features are fantastic, with this clearly aimed at the racers or those who want to get to that level. You have a workout builder to plan training with dedicated plans, training status so you know if it's time to rest or get out there, a virtual pacer, and a race predictor. All really useful features that can be viewed both in the app and on the watch itself.
The watch does offer notifications for text and WhatsApp messages which come through right away and with that big screen, messages are clear and easy to read. Unfortunately, there isn't yet support for emojis, which might have been a nice touch given the AMOLED display.
Features score: 3.5/5
Coros Pace Pro: Performance
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
Decent battery life
Fantastic display
Good GPS but average HR
To start on a really positive point, the display is stunning not only to view but also to control. Thanks to a new processor in this model that doubles the speed, the sensitivity and responsiveness are super-premium meaning accessing all the menus is a pleasure. The large and clear display is good for going through your data, including graphs, without the need to reach for the phone and app as it's so fast, responsive, and clear. That applies to mid-training too where even movements don't seem to put off that tactile responsiveness.
Tracking is good but not amazing when you consider how many GPS systems are at play here. GPS acquisition is fast and a helpful bar system shows you signal strength too. While tracking is very accurate over longer distances (5K+), you may find that shorter than that and with hills in the mix can leave you a little less clear. And cycling performance was a little off too, even over longer distances. We're talking meters here, nothing huge, but still not quite as accurate as the smarter algorithms that the competition uses to work out your movements. To be clear, it performs well compared to most watches – and is the best Coros yet – just not quite as well as the latest top-end premium offerings from more established brands.
Heart rate tracking is the other area that wasn't perfect. While some longer runs and gym sessions were well-recorded – compared to a leading brand chest strap there were some inaccuracies. For higher heart rate bursts or longer rides, the accuracy wasn't as good as it perhaps could have been. That said, I've found similar issues with higher-priced competitors so it's not a deal breaker – I'm just being super clear. Coros does offer an armband heart rate monitor which may help improve this output if high-intensity work is what you need to track very accurately – or you're working in zone training.
Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
Battery life is excellent with the 20-day standby time easily being reached or surpassed in my testing. Even training, with all sensors on and music playing over a Bluetooth headset, was still as good as predicted at 38 hours, if not better. I did use the watch with the display off when not in use though, so if you want the always-on display option expect the standby figure to drop by a few days. The USB charger and two-hour charge time combination do make battery something you won't really need to worry about often – which is the goal right?
Get into the app and you're met with clear, bright, and helpful displays that give you data in various forms without getting too complex as some of the competition does. I found it refreshing to have everything I needed there, with breakdowns available front and center, but without feeling like I had to dig around menus or be overwhelmed with too much information in my face. A difficult combination to achieve which Coros seems to have managed in record time.
I did have a few connectivity issues where the WiFi wouldn't work on the watch until I tried to sync a few times. Usefully you can also sync over Bluetooth, which takes longer but gets the job done. Hopefully, the WiFi issue will be fixed with updates although I've had two while testing this and it's still not working perfectly.
The silicon strap is super comfortable, very accurate to fit many wrist sizes, and it doesn't move about at all. That secure fit does mean it's a bit fiddly to get back on each time, so if you remove your watch regularly this might be worth keeping in mind if you're considering buying a different strap.
Performance score: 3.5/5
Coros Pace Pro: Scorecard
Coros Pace Pro: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
You want a superb display
That 1500-nits of brightness on the rich AMOLED display is stunning and the responsiveness of the touchscreen is second-to-none.
You want better battery life
The battery life is long enough that you don't need to charge often, and can use it regularly.
You want comfort
This is super lightweight and a perfect fit with that strap making it ideal for longer distance training and sleep tracking comfort.
Don't buy it if...
You want durability
The mineral glass display cover isn't the strongest so you'll have to be careful not to damage it.
You want music streaming
Yes, this has onboard music but not streaming support for the likes of Spotify making loading up a bit more effort.
You want adaptive navigation
You have maps here, and navigation, but it won't adapt on the fly so it's not ideal for all uses.
Also consider
Apple Watch Ultra 2
A fully fledgedhigh-performance premium smartwatch.
Writing this Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active review, I wasn’t exactly expecting it to hit our list of the best fitness trackers on the market — it’s startlingly cheap, designed for people who just need the fundamentals of health tracking. However I wasn’t expecting it to miss the mark so much.
Released as an even-more-affordable alternative to the already-affordable Xiaomi Smart Band 9, the Active model cuts the cost, as well as some corners, from that predecessor. However, it cuts so many corners that, like a really bad lapidarist, it leaves nothing left to appreciate.
Testing a cheap fitness tracker like this, you have to expect some compromises, but the Band 9 Active takes it too far. Many different health tracking metrics were easily proven wrong, with GPS reading poorly compared to data from our smartphone and heart rate information being laughably inaccurate. Calorie burn predictions were also dubious, unless I truly did only burn double-figure calories in an hour-long weights session.
One surprise exception was sleep tracking, which to me seemed vaguely reliable — at least, compared to distance or heart rate. If you just want a cheap and feature-sparse sleep tracker, this could be a valuable option.
Still, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active really struggles to prove itself as a useful health tracker given how ropey the testing results were. It fares a little better with its ‘smartwatch’ lifestyle functions as it was quick to send through notifications and let you control music.
It’s par for the course for fitness trackers to opt for offering a range of features, with the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active trying to track loads of metrics and health considerations. However, it seems that Xiaomi’s focus on breadth over depth has resulted in a wearable that’s hard to recommend. If you want a fitness tracker that has all the good bits of the Band 9 Active and few of the issues, opt for the standard model or the bigger and pricier Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro.
(Image credit: Future)
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Specifications
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Costs $44.99 / £19.99 / AU$42.99
Cheaper alternative to Band 9
Released in October 2024
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active was unveiled in China in October 2024, alongside the Band 9 Pro, and was slowly rolled out globally over the subsequent months. It’s now available to buy in most countries globally including the US, UK and Australia.
You can buy the Band 9 Active for $44.99 / £19.99 / AU$42.99, so it’s an incredibly cheap fitness tracker — though you don’t need to know currency conversions to know that some folks get it cheaper than others. I found some significant price fluctuations on Amazon, with Australian shoppers on the retailer getting a variation of a few dollars depending on the color option, and UK buyers being shown prices literally twice as high as on Xiaomi’s own website! So shop around to find the best price.
That’s a roughly $15 / £15 / AU$20 drop in price compared to the Xiaomi Band 9, a healthy discount that means that the budget band will likely undercut the original one even when the middle child is on sale. The cost also roughly matches the Xiaomi Band 8 Active from last year.
There aren’t many cheap fitness trackers at this price bracket that bear mentioning, so the Active’s competitors are all (relatively) pricey alternatives like the other Smart Band 9 models and options from Samsung and Fitbit if you can find them reduced. More on competition later.
Value score: 4.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Display doesn't look great
Rectangular body plus strap
Fairly well protected against bumps and water
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active has a pretty utilitarian design. Its body measures 4.6 x 2.7 x 1cm and weighs 16.5g, so it’s pretty small, and it totes a 1.47-inch display with a 172 x 320 resolution.
The band is made of TPU, which feels like a rubbery plastic, and can be adjusted for a wide range of wrist sizes. You can pick up the Active in black, beige or light pink, and your choice is reflected in the band’s body and strap.
With a 5ATM water resistance, the watch can withstand submersion in water at up to 50 meters — however, there are no swim tracking modes on the band, making this a feature you won’t need to test.
(Image credit: Future)
I bumped and bashed the Band 9 Active a fair few times during testing and it didn’t show a mark — it’s a good pick for clumsy wearers. It’s also small enough that you can wear it to bed without it being too noticeable and annoying.
The display, frankly, doesn’t look great, but that’s what you’re getting for your low entry fee. You can put your own photos as your watchface too which is a nice touch, even if faces end up looking a little like old-school RuneScape characters.
Design score: 3/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Many metrics seem inaccurate
Poor at pulling data from smartphone for GPS
50 sports tracking modes in all
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers about 50 different fitness tracking modes, roughly a third as many as its two siblings though all the basics are covered (and then a few). Before you remark about how many that is, bear in mind that not all fitness tracking modes are equal.
Basically all of the fitness modes track time and heart rate, and some throw GPS in on top — the reason you’d pick between different tracking modes is so it’ll show up as a different entry in your fitness log, and because you can set different workout goals for different activities.
For testing purposes I used outdoor running, outdoor cycling and strength, but the fill list includes everything from badminton and baseball to billiards and ‘back’ (back workouts, that is).
Unfortunately, they’re not great: most of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active’s fitness tracking features don’t work as they’re supposed to.
Here’s an example: one testing day I ran to my gym, which is usually 1.6km but the ‘outdoor running’ mode only recorded it as 1.4km. Then at the gym, I turned on ‘strength’ mode for my workout, and it told me I was at a low heart rate — despite the fact I hadn’t caught my breath after the run, and could feel my heart rate to be elevated.
(Image credit: Future)
The GPS issue is the most pronounced; multiple times during testing the watch wouldn’t report the full distance of a run or cycle (or, on one occasion, any distance at all, instead of the 4km I had cycled). From my testing, I seemed to lose on average 20% of the distance I actually traveled. It seems to be an issue with how the watch connects to your phone, as the Active only has Connected GPS (which utilizes your phone’s GPS, instead of having it built-in). I would have considered it being an issue with my phone, had I not tested the Band 9 Pro immediately before the Active.
The heart rate issue is also a shame — it’s one of the most important metrics that people use fitness trackers for, so the fact that it’s so obviously inaccurate is a real shame.
Now for a surprise: sleep tracking worked pretty well, surprisingly so given the rest of the performance. It was acccurate in terms of timing, even if I lay in bed reading before sleeping or remained prone for a while after waking up. It also offered basic-but-useful breakdowns of types of sleep (REM, deep, etc) as well as wake-up times and your resting heart rate (for however accurate that is…). If all you want out of a fitness tracker for is sleep tracking, this budget option might be alright.
Performance score: 2/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Mi Fitness app used on phone
Music playback, notification handling and more
14-day battery life
Beyond the iffy fitness tracking options, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active more or less ticks all the feature boxes you’d expect for a cheap fitness tracker.
Through Bluetooth with your phone it can tell you the weather, control your music (well, skip, back a track and play/pause) and ping you with notifications. I recommend customizing which notifications get sent to your tracker, lest you want to be pinged every few minutes with the latest weather report.
The Band 9 Active connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3 and the connection was faultless during my testing — except, of course, for the weird GPS issue. You connect to the Mi Fitness app, which can bring you a few extra ways to use your band.
The main one (for me) is that it gives you more depth to examine your past workouts, with a rough GPS map and other metrics. You can also see the results of various metrics tracked via the watch like training load, stress, energy and your vitality score.
You can also use the app to customize your watch to a limited degree — like I said you can set a background photo or pick from a wide range of other displays. You can also tweak some settings of the fitness tracking metrics and set a password for the tracker.
Xiaomi cites the battery life for the Band 9 Active at being 18 days, or about two-and-a-half weeks. From my testing, I’d say you can reliably get two weeks of use out of the band before needing to charge it, but that extra four days may be a stretch if you’re not sparing with your use.
Performance score: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Scorecard
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You're only in it for sleep tracking If you only want a sleep tracker, and don't care about other health features, then you'll find the Band 9 Active fit for purpose.
You don't care about health at all Just want a way to control your music, see notifications and check on the weather from your wrist? Then the Band 9 Active is fine for you and you won't need to spend any more.
You want a simple user interface The Band 9 Active strips some features from its siblings, but this makes it very simple to use for technophobes or seniors..View Deal
Don't buy it if...
Your budget goes any higher For only a small price increase, you can buy the Smart Band 9 which is a lot better in every way.
You care about tracking heart rate, calories or location I've already mentioned in detail how iffy the fitness tracking modes of the Band 9 Active are. Don't use it if you actually care about tracking your health.
Also consider
Xiaomi Smart Band 9
For only a small price increase, you can buy this fitness tracker which fixes all of the Active's problems, plus looks nicer and lasts for longer.
A few years of price cuts means that the Fitbit Inspire 3 is fairly affordable, though it'll still set you back the equivalent of several Band 9 Actives.
Chinese tech company Xiaomi is almost single-handedly keeping the cheap fitness tracker market alive, and the new Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is its new entry for people who want to monitor their health on the cheap, but want a nice big screen at the same time.
This health gadget is a follow-up to the Xiaomi Smart Band 9, released in mid-2024, and for all intents and purposes, it’s a very similar fitness tracker – too similar, for reasons we’ll get to. It has the same software, is largely as accurate for measuring your health, and connects to your phone in the exact same way.
Its key selling point is that, unlike its non-Pro predecessor, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 has a big display. This won me over more than I thought it would – it doesn’t feel much more of a burden on the wrist yet is much easier to press while you’re sprinting down a park path or balancing on a parked bike. I also see it being much more convenient from an accessibility viewpoint, so if fiddly fitness tracker screens put you off, this is the Smart Band to buy.
However with great screens come great price tags and the Smart Band 9 Pro pushes the price up a lot more than its older sibling – it’s not reaching the price point of Garmin’s cheapest options or second-hand Fitbits, but if you’re on the market for something really affordable, its price might give you reason to pause.
Size and cost upgrades aside, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro ostensibly has some improvements to sleep, blood oxygen, and heart rate monitoring – it didn’t feel that different to me. But I was disappointed in how lots of my issues with the previous band weren’t fixed, namely regarding buggy software.
My experience of using the Smart Band 9 Pro was punctuated by notifications waking me up in the early hours, alerts being hidden by other alerts, and the watch maintaining a very lackadaisical approach in waking when I raised it up. These are all issues I reported in my review of the first band, and they’re back here.
As a tech fan, I wasn’t impressed by how similar the Smart Band 9 Pro is to the Band 9, but the perk of its limited number of upgrades is that it functions just as well as that stellar fitness tracker did. Its activity tracking modes aren’t in-depth but they are handy for workout fans and I found the watch very accurate and useful for tracking distance and heart rate on runs.
When it’s working bug-free, the Band 9 Pro is also a useful lifestyle companion with music control, timers, and notification handling, all features that came in handy during testing.
So the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is definitely an upgrade over the Band 9 you should consider if the price doesn’t put you off, but you really should ask yourself if you need the bigger display.
(Image credit: Future)
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Specifications
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Unveiled in October 2024
Goes for £62.99 / AU$99.99 (roughly $75)
Matches Smart Band 8 Pro
Xiaomi announced the Smart Band 9 Pro as well as the Active model in late October 2024, initially for its Chinese market, but it slowly released it globally in the following months.
You can pick up the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro for £62.99 / AU$99.99 (roughly $75). That’s a fairly significant price hike, in the UK at least, over the $60 / £24.99 / AU$79.99 ‘standard’ Band 9, though it matches its predecessor the Smart Band 8 Pro.
The price cements the Band 9 Pro as the premium member of its tripartite, with the Band 9 Active coming in at £19.99 / AU$44.99 (roughly $25). The price puts the tracker equal to, or above, some of the best cheap fitness trackers in terms of cost, and I don’t quite feel that the feature set has seen an increase in step with the price hike.
In a few regions, Xiaomi sells extra straps for the Band 9 Pro, and it sent TechRadar one of these alongside the fitness track for testing. However, at the time of writing, these aren’t for sale in the UK.
Value score: 4/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Bigger body than rivals, but not much
Large 1.74-inch AMOLED screen
Screen space is really useful
Its suffix is ‘Pro’ but that could well be ‘Gro’ because the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is, in effect, a bigger version of the non-Pro model in terms of design. That is to say, it’s a standard fitness tracker that’s been scaled up a notch.
The band that comes in the box is made of TPU, and I found it pretty fiddly to clasp but comfortable when worn. It supports a pretty large variance in wrist size, which isn’t something you can say about all fitness trackers. It has an easy-release mechanism so to remove or replace the bands, you simply press a small button on the Smart Band’s body, and I found this easy to do.
You can pick up the band in three color options: black, silver (with a white strap), and rose gold (with a pink strap). As you can see in the images, I used the latter.
The body itself measures 43.3 x 32.5 x 10.8mm, not including the band, and weighs 24.5g. That makes it a little chunkier and portlier than many svelte fitness trackers on the market but its weight wasn’t noticeable on the wrist. In fact, I found it just as comfortable as any other tracker I’ve used.
(Image credit: Future)
Next, we come to the screen, the biggest change over the ‘standard’ Band 9 (literally). It measures 1.74 inches diagonally, and like the body, it’s wider and shorter than its sibling. Its resolution is 336 x 480 and the max brightness is 1200 nits, though unlike on the Band 9 I found the automatic brightness wasn’t always that quick. I sometimes struggled to see what I was looking at on my band when outdoors until it had taken a few seconds to adjust the brightness.
This extra screen space will be fantastic for people who don’t get on with the teenie icons of most fitness trackers and smartwatches, and it was especially useful when running so I could easily press a button without needing too much precision.
In terms of protection, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro has 5ATM water resistance: it can survive at depths of up to 50 meters for 10 minutes. Xiaomi advises you not to take it in heated water, though, like a sauna or in the shower.
Design score: 4/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Uses phone's GPS but has heart rate and other trackers
Over 150 fitness tracking modes
21-day battery life
In the ‘specs’ section above, I quoted Xiaomi’s estimate for the Smart Band 9 Pro’s battery life of 21 days. However in my testing, I found that the band far exceeded this – it lost a third of its charge in eight days, which included multiple runs (including a three-hour one), several weights training sessions, and sleep tracking on most of the nights. That would put the battery life at closer to 24 days although your mileage will vary.
A 14-day battery life is pretty standard for fitness trackers but 24 days is stellar, so I don’t imagine that the band will let you down. Charging is done with a proprietary charger that plugs into any USB port.
The range of workouts is the same as on the standard band, so there are over 150 fitness tracking modes. Most of these are pretty barebones: they monitor time, your heart rate, and a rough count of the calories burned, so whichever of them you select from the watch largely just dictates how it shows up in your app workout log.
A few of them have more information though, with some like running and cycling using GPS. This isn’t standard GPS but connected GPS, which means the band uses the GPS from your paired smartphone – you can’t go on workouts without your mobile by your side.
(Image credit: Future)
This is therefore as accurate as your smartphone, but that’s nothing to turn your nose up at – I ran a distance that was measured to be 5K, and the watch told me I ran 5.05km, which is a 1% error margin.
Sleep tracking is present, and it’s not as in-depth as on a fancy smartwatch: you find out how long you slept, how it’s broken down into deep and light sleep and wake-ups, and what your average heart rate was. According to Xiaomi, the sleep tracking has seen an upgrade in the Band 9 Pro.
Other metrics that are tracked – to dubious levels of reliability – are your stress, energy level, and ‘vitality score’ or cumulative exercise over the last week. The watch also tracks blood rate oxygen and heart rate and these are, according to Xiaomi, also improved over the original band.
Performance score: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Mi Fitness app used on phone
Music playback, notification handling and more
Some bugs with app and watch
I found the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro quite buggy, which isn’t something that I’m too surprised about given other fitness trackers from the maker that I’ve tested, but it was more pronounced here as some examples disrupted my experience.
Both my most prominent examples come from the band’s otherwise effective notification handling. Sometimes notifications would appear at the same time as, and therefore override more important information; the Pro was very confused when an interval pop-up was immediately succeeded by a message notification, meaning I couldn’t see how many kilometers I’d just hit. And the more annoying one is that, even with do not disturb enabled, notifications would buzz on my wrist in the middle of the night – I was woken multiple times, once at 1 am, by notifications appearing on my wrist.
This latter one is something I experienced with the Band 9, as is another lesser issue: raise-to-wake is unreliable, and sometimes you can lift up your wrist and be met by a black screen.
I shouldn’t compare those two fitness trackers too much, though, because the overall experience of using the Band 9 Pro is great thanks to the larger display. A lot more information can be shown at once using its various widgets: you can see the weather for the next few days, your heart rate on a graph, and a music player to let you pause or skip songs. Buttons overall are naturally a lot bigger, which is a great accessibility win.
Well, most buttons are great, but the exception is in the app drawer which you open by swiping up from the bottom. This is a grid of 26 buttons for different features, and none of them are labeled, so you have to guess which does what. Many of them are identical: two are icons of running people, in different colors, and it’s a real trial-and-error experience. Luckily most of the features that I found myself using can be accessed in other ways, namely by swiping through the home page widgets.
More features come from the tie-in Mi Fitness app, which you download on your phone. It lets you see your fitness and health details in much more detail as well as change your watch face from a huge range of options (including custom photos), see historical data, and set up various features.
Performance score: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Scorecard
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a big screen Whether it’s for accessibility or convenience, a big screen can be a huge draw for some people, especially with how small fitness tracker displays tend to be. If that’s you, step right up!
You need a long battery life I was impressed with how well the Band 9 Pro lasted, despite some intensive testing – if you can’t reliably charge wearables, a long-lasting option like this is handy.
You bring your phone on workouts The Smart Band is an extension of your phone – you’ll need your mobile to track GPS and send your watch the music and notifications it handles. You’ll need to buy a smartwatch if you want to do away with the phone.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
Budget is a key consideration While it’s definitely cheap, the Smart Band 9 Pro isn’t cheap – not compared to its siblings and not compared to the fare that populates Amazon. You can find cheaper options that still work well.
You get frustrated by malfunctioning tech I’ve detailed how the Smart Band 9 family has buggy software – if this kind of thing in tech drives you up the wall, you might find yourself using the 9 Pro’s stress measuring feature more than you’d like…
Also consider
Xiaomi Smart Band 9
This cheaper option works much the same as the Pro but with a smaller display.
Fitbit's cheapest health band lets you try the brand's range of features and thanks to price cuts, it generally sells for around the same price as the Band 9 Pro.
